


Mirror Verse

by OrbWeaverX



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Mirror Universe, Multi, Personality Swap, morality swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-14 15:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4569606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrbWeaverX/pseuds/OrbWeaverX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh, yeah. That.” Tony waves a hand at Mirror-Clint, casually continuing his explanation. “You are actually the mirror versions of my friends and I, by extension am your ‘Mirror-Tony.’ I’m from another dimension, visiting here while my Bruce is fixing your me up.” He flashes a charming smile, as if to say ‘not at all weird, right?’. “Questions? Comments? No? Good, I need a drink.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mirror Verse

**Author's Note:**

> First fic, please be kind.

The mirror ripples, like mirrors in these things often do, and goes psychedelic, it’s iridescent glow lighting the room. No one is quite sure what to do as a hand reaches out through the glass, casting ripples in the reflection. It grasps the air uselessly, scrambling for purchase before finding the mirror’s edge. He pulls himself forward, grunting at the effort, and collapses to his knees, breathing heavily. Behind him, the mirror sends out a final beacon of light before returning to its normal state. Smooth reflection restored, it reveals the man’s face a moment before he turns to the crowd, standing shakily.

He turns pale at the sight of them.

Steve, Natasha, Bruce, and Clint all stare in wonder as their friend, as _Tony_ gapes at them, trembling. Naturally, they all turn to where they’d last seen him, only to find him looking equally confused. He immediately raises his hands in a placating gesture.

“Hey, don’t look at me,” he says, seemingly affronted. “I’m in the dark on this just as much as you guys.”

The other-him stares on, barely managing a choked, “m-me?” Tony narrows his eyes at the timid display. “What happened...?”

“We were just about to ask you the same question,” says Steve. “Who are you?”

The other-Tony gives him a look like someone just killed his puppy. “S-Steve, I don’t… I don’t understand.” He takes a step back, bumping the mirror. “Who are these guys? W-What’s happening?”

He looks on the verge of tears.

“Okay, what the freaking hell is going on?” their Tony interjects. The other-Tony takes another step back, pressed flat to the mirror, looking nervous in the presence of his other self.

“Steve…” he whines.

“Okay, okay,” says Clint, stepping between them. He looks between the two Tonys appraisingly, and grins. “Firstly, wow.”

“Clint!” Natasha stops him, hitting him in the arm. “Tony, look–“

Both Tonys turn to look at her simultaneously. Natasha freezes mid-sentence, looking back and forth between the two. One, with his usual detached demeanor, and the other, eyes wide and shaky. “Whoa.”

“Aren’t you the Widow?” he asks. Natasha almost nods. “What are you doing here? What is _she_ doing here?”

“She’s a part of our team,” Steve says. “What are you doing here?”

There’s that kicked puppy-dog look again. Strange to think Stark’s face was even capable of such a thing. “I don’t know. I-I was running and…” he shakes his head. “I don’t understand. But Steve–”

“You seem weirdly attached to Steve,” says their Tony. “What’s with that?” Other-Tony goes pale.

“Tony,” Steve says, intervening. Both pause, Steve takes a step back. “Okay, that is weird…”

“

Other-Tony looks at him, and winces. “I–I–“

“Tony, take it easy on… on Tony,” He tries, and _God_ , does that sound weird.

Bruce takes the floor, coughing politely. “Why don’t we just start from the beginning; how did you get here?”

Other-Tony takes a breath, calming himself. From the beginning, alright.

_It started with Steve. After a call from HQ, they were sent on a mission to retrieve an artifact –a mirror– said to be stolen from an Asgardian vault. The mirror itself was easy enough to find, large enough to fill an entire wall, with an intricate golden frame and strange carvings all around its edge. Getting it out of the building was the problem, and Steve had the only solution._

_“So, what? We just break it in two, take it out, and we’re done. Easy.”_

_“Maybe we should think about this, first” says Tony. Steve glares, and Tony tentatively continues with, “It might not be the best idea to break it…?”_

_“Then what do you suggest we do, huh? Oh, All-Knowing Tin Man,” he replies, booming voice laced with sarcasm._

_“Steve, take it easy, okay? He’s just trying to help,” says Clint. Tony looks up at him expectantly. “Tony?”_

_“Well, I was just thinking, we’ll be on the top floor anyway. It might be easier to just take it up to the roof?”_

_Bruce sneers, “The roof?” and laughs. “Genius! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself. And then where will we take it, huh? I don’t suppose you know of a moving company in–the–sky.”_

_“I’m sorry…”_

_“Don’t apologize, Tones.” says Clint, slapping a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a good idea, we can take it up one floor instead of down twenty.”_

_“Or,” Steve interjects, smiling warmly. “And this is just a suggestion, we could just toss it out the window.” “What? It’s just a freaking mirror.”_

_Unfortunately, despite having prepared a rig to lower it down, a laser to cut open the ceiling, and a window lift, they did wind up throwing it out the window, and if Tony had moved a second later, it would easily have been destroyed. As it was, he caught it on his back, yelling for Clint to help him out, which he did, using the rig and a few arrows. Steve struggled not to laugh at the sight of them, trying uselessly to balance that giant mirror on the window lift, before getting chewed out by Bruce and being forced to help._

Having recounted this, other- Tony is surprised to find the entire room gone silent. Steve in particular is turning an impressive shade of pink. Tony stifles a laugh.

“What?” the Tonys ask in perfect unison.

“So, let me get this straight,” says Clint, barely able to contain his laughter. “Steve’s reckless, Tony’s a wuss –no offense, Tony– Bruce is just plain mean, and _I’m_ the _nice guy_?”

“Well, yeah…”

Clint, if possible, laughs even harder at the endearing tone to his voice– _Tony’s_ voice, he has to remind himself.

Steve, mouth agape, looks like a fish out of water. “I-I’m sorry I-What?”

“So basically, it’s a mirror universe,” inquires Bruce. “Everything is the same, but different from how it is here.”

Other-Tony nods quietly, “It seems like…”

“Wow, so there’s actually a Tony Stark out there that doesn’t gain sustenance from the sound of his own voice!”

“Clint! Not the time,” Natasha says, but she’s smiling, too.

Bruce ignores them. “I’d like to hear the rest of the story, if you’re comfortable continuing.”

Other-Tony nods again, feeling on display in the suddenly quiet room.

“Captain Rogers wa–“

“Oh. My. God. You call him by his real name!” Clint turns to Steve, giddy. “He calls you by your real name!”

The other-Tony looks confused. “What else would I call you?”

“Okay, Birdbrain, laugh it up!”Oh _._ “I’m sure you’ve got _plenty_ of this headed your way!”

“Anyway…” he continues awkwardly.

_Steve had found him later that night, curled up on the landing pad of the tower. He moves casually, but there’s a tightness to his features that ruins the illusion._

_“What do you want, Rogers?”_

_Steve pauses, hesitates for half a second before taking a seat beside Tony. “Hey, I just came to see you.” He gives an exaggerated pout, “Sowy, did I hurt your feelings?”_

_Tony glares at the stars. “…asshat.”_

_“Hey, whoa!” Steve throws up his hands like he’s been caught by the police, and says, “Are you actually mad?”_

_“Kinda.”_

_“Seriously? I managed to piss off Tony Stark? I didn’t know I was that annoying,” and he smiles, charmingly, elbowing Tony lightly in the side when he doesn’t respond. “Stark? Come on, I was just playing around.”_

_“You pushed me off a building!”_

_“Well, yeah, but you survived, didn’t you?” and damn it if anyone has managed to deny that face. Head cocked, eyes soft, and a small smile on his lips– the bastard looks so damn innocent._

_“Whatever…” he says, looking away._

_“Tonnnnnny…” Steve whines. Tony turns back to him, if only to glare. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?”_

_“Yeah, right,” Tony says with as much attitude as he can muster. It’s not much._

_“No, really. Tony, look at me. I really am sorry I got you so worked up, it was unprofessional.”_

_Tony mutters something like; “You’re damn right it was unprofessional…”_

_“And stupid…”_

_“Yup.”_

_“And reckless…”_

_“Always.”_

_“Tony!” Steve cries, hands pleading, “What’s a guy gotta do?”_

_He chuckles at the action, and Steve seems to take it as forgiveness. He grins, kissing Tony’s forehead before standing (although Other-Tony might not have mentioned that bit…). Steve offers him a hand, which Tony takes, and they walk inside together._

_Tony sighs. “Whatever the hell you just did, apparently.”_

_Steve laughs, mainly because he’s Steve, and also because he’s never heard Tony joke before._

_The next day, they’re woken early by the sound of the alarm. It seems they have a visiting Prince of Asgard to deal with._

_Thor cackles madly in a torrent of thunder and wind. Troublesome gods… No one can get a clear shot on him as long at he keeps that up. Tony dives into the storm, wincing at the static that immediately fills his ears in place of the comlink. He can’t stop now, not when he has Thor in his sights._

_The first repulsor blast hits straight on, but from such a low position, all it serves to do is alert the god of his presence._

_“Oh, shit…”_

_He awakens to the sight of the ground rushing toward him. No, wait… that isn’t right._

_“SHITSHITSHIT!”_

_He barley manages to turn in time, bracing for the hit that never comes. Instead, he is embraced by green mist, fog rolling off of him in thick waves as he’s slowly lowered to the ground. Loki smiles brightly as their eyes meet._

_“Am I to assume you missed me,” he says. “Anthony?”_

_“Loki!” he beams, running forward to hug the taller god. Tony glances up at him. “I thought you weren’t coming back after…”_

_“After my brother escaped imprisonment for the second time,” he sighs, smile tightening. “Worry not. I shall be out of your hair just as soon as I retrieve him.”_

_Tony’s smile falters. “Loki, I…”_

_Loki smiles knowingly, softly._

_“Tony!” Clint yells and he flinches. “What the hell were you thinking; you could’ve been killed!” He sighs, looking to Loki. “Thanks Lokes, you’re a life-saver, really.”_

_Loki nods graciously, still with his polite smile. Stepping back, he dissolves into the air in a haze of green and black, reappearing nearer his brother._

_The fight commences in a storm, flashing green and sparking gold with every blow. Winds spinning toward the heavens, higher than any skyscraper, pulling the clouds with them in a draining effect, the city crumbles. And in the eye of the storm, the brothers fight, ravaging the city below. A mess of debris and filth, kicked up by the storm and swirling through the streets like tumble weeds in a western standoff, the brothers fight._

_“I thought you better than this, Brother,” say Loki, quickly ducking to avoid a blow from Mjolnir. He counter attacks with his staff, diving low. Thor knees him in the stomach, the tip of Loki’s blade slicing his thigh as it passes, and tosses him aside._

_“Do not call me Brother!” he roars. “You are no Brother of mine; you are nothing but a filthy jötunn!”_

_Loki stumbles, brings his weapon up to block another blow from Mjolnir. Thor takes the opportunity to give him a right hook to the face, knocking his not-brother back. Loki takes a breath, creating an illusory double of himself as he falls hard to the rooftop._

_“How pathetic,” Thor sneers, stomping hard on his arm. Loki cries out. “Dear Brother, is this truly the extent of your strength?”_

_He looks up at him, defiance in his eyes and says one final word in Asgardian; contain. The floor below them bursts into color, green magic winding through the concrete and up into a lofty prison. Thor startles at first, bewildered, then turns to glower at his brother._

_“You fool! You’ve trapped us both!” He snarls, kicking the god onto his side. Loki smiles softly, form flickering like a glitch, and just as Thor moves to hit him again, he disappears._

_Loki hears his brother’s cursing even from the base of the building, where he informs the Avengers; “This construct will not hold him long, but it should suffice until your ‘Shield’ arrives.”_

_“Waitta go, Lokes!” Steve slaps him on the back, causing Loki to stumble forward._

_“Yeah, ‘cause that’ll hold him for what? All of five minutes?” adds Bruce. “What are we supposed to do when he gets out?”_

_“Do you always have to be such a pessimist?” Clint replies._

_“No,” Loki sighs. “He is right. I have done little to rectify this situation. You have my humblest apologies for the destruction my brother caused.”_

_“Hey, man, it’s not your fault your brothers a little…” he mimes something like the scene from Psycho, Loki looks less than impressed (because he didn’t get the reference, Steve would later say)._

_“Loki,” says Tony, clearing his throat. “Uh, thanks. You know, for saving me earlier. You really have been a great help.”_

_Loki allows himself a small smile, but it’s short lived as Shield arrives at the scene, and he vanishes, face somber, once again._

_It isn’t until later that Thor escapes, evading capture and heading for the one place he could trust his brother to appear; with his friends. That’s when Tony finds the mirror, trying to out maneuver the pursuing god. He miscalculated and Thor got the drop on him, shoving him roughly to the wall and, ironically, through the mirror._

Thinking on it now, he’s probably still somewhere in the tower, looking to lure out Loki.

“I should get back,” Other- Tony says stiffly, looking toward the mirror.

“No.” Steve says, resting a hand on his shoulder with a serious look. “You’re not armed, if you go back now you might not be able to help them at all.”

Other- Tony stares up at him, confused and uncertain. That doesn’t sound anything like his Steve… That doesn’t look anything like his Tony. “Then what do I do…?” he manages softly. Steve gives him a steely look.

“Tony will get you some armour. In the meantime, let’s let Dr. Banner take a look at you.”

Other- Tony nods softly and lets Bruce lead him toward the elevator.

“Someone needs to contact Thor,” continues Steve. “Right now, we have no idea what this thing is and I don’t want anyone flying in blind– Tony!”

Tony looks up from the mirror, which he’d had his arm through, smiling at the strange sensation of the not-glass on his skin.

“Quit playing around, this is serious!”

Tony nods his head solemnly, agreeing for about half a minute before losing his composure, and bursting into a fit laughter.

“Oh, come on. Lighten up, Cap. A mirror universe? It’s like something out of a bad fanfic!”

“A _really bad_ fanfic…” Clint adds. (Ah, self-deprecation)

Steve wags his finger at Clint, giving him a stern look. “Don’t encourage him!” he barks, and suddenly the room is quiet. Awkward.

Steve gives the room once over, then another. Tony raises his hand quietly, his ever-present smirk missing from his face. Steve sighs. “What now?”

Tony’s lips threaten to curl up at his exasperated tone, but he’s quick to school his expression. “Yeah, if Reindeer Games is on their Earth then why isn’t Thor here?” Steve pauses and looks to Clint, who shrugs, and Natasha. She shakes her head somberly.

They don’t notice the way Tony stiffens, not at first, at least, and certainly not until after the low chuckle takes to the air. A warm smirk heats Tony’s the back of neck.

“I believe the better question, Anthony, would be ‘If Thor is causing trouble there, than where is Loki?’”

**Author's Note:**

> plz review?


End file.
